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Magazine Issue

Business & Commercial Aviation, May 2015

VOL. 111 NO. 5 May 01, 2015

Pilot Report

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Pilot Report: Citation Latitude

May 01, 2015
The Citation Latitude is the latest proof that Textron Aviation is back on its feet, largely recovered from the Great Recession and fully competing for its historic share of the business jet market. For more than four decades, Citation engineers have been business aviation’s undisputed masters of iteration and the Latitude embraces this low-risk design approach to perfection.
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Citation Latitude Performance

May 01, 2015
These graphs are designed to illustrate the performance of Citation Latitude under a variety of range, payload, speed and density altitude conditions. Do not use these data for flight planning purposes because they are gross approximations of actual aircraft performance.

Viewpoint

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New Again

May 01, 2015
While operators bought 1,325 new turbine business aircraft last year, a lot more legacy aircraft changed owners.

Readers Feedback

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Readers’ Feedback (May 2015)

May 01, 2015
Journey to the Top

Fast Five

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Questions for Steve Charbonneau

May 01, 2015
Steve Charbonneau Chairman, NBAA Safety Committee; Senior Manager, Aviation Training and Standards, Altria Client Services Inc., Richmond, Virginia

Operations

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Convective Weather Probability

May 01, 2015
Of all the weather phenomena with which pilots must contend, that old nemesis, the thunderstorm, remains the most feared. And for good reason.
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Pushing the Modeling Envelope at WSI

May 01, 2015
Of all the weather phenomena with which pilots must contend, that old nemesis, the thunderstorm, remains the most feared. And for good reason.
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How a Private Sector Weather Service Does It

May 01, 2015
Of all the weather phenomena with which pilots must contend, that old nemesis, the thunderstorm, remains the most feared. And for good reason.

DOM Notebook

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On Becoming a Maintenance Manager

May 01, 2015
Years ago, advancing from being a hands-on mechanic, to technical supervisor and, ultimately, to the director of maintenance (DOM) position was actually kind of easy. That’s because few wanted the top job. So, whoever was standing in the right (or wrong) spot when the old DOM quit, retired or was fired would get the title . . . and the headaches.
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Leadership Development Activities

May 01, 2015
Looking for opportunities to advance your career, or for the technicians who work for you? There are plenty of ways to help build the skills and confidence to become better technicians, and better leaders, while improving the safety and effectiveness of your operation. Consider the NBAA’s Professional Development Program (PDP) and Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Program. Both provide the skills and leadership training necessary for managing and developing a well-run flight department.

Cause & Circumstance

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Losing The Airport In Low Visibility Conditions

May 01, 2015
Fly airplanes long enough and you’ll misidentify something sooner or later — a visual reporting point, a taxiway that looks like a runway, a lighting matrix that seems to be an airport, a waypoint that’s been fat-fingered, and so forth. Recently, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) had cause to research incidents in which flight crews misidentified ground features as an airport environment or runway. Here’s what the bureau’s incident review revealed: Australian Occurrences

Accident Free: Are You Lucky or Truly Safe?

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Preventing Crew Fatigue from A to Zzz

May 21, 2015
Fatigue management starts before the mission by determining if each crewmember is fit for flight.

Safety

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Keeping Cool In An Upset Situation

May 14, 2015
The key to correct recovery the first time is to understand where things can go horribly wrong and how to best get the airplane back to right-side up.

2015: Purchase Planning Handbook

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2015 Avionics

May 01, 2015
We seldom see so many exciting new developments in our annual avionics listings. For example, there’s a try-n-buy synthetic vision system, several electronics countermeasure offerings, some promising wearable tech, rebate programs, several new FANS-1 offerings, avionics for meeting FAR Part 135 rotary-wing rules, new flight and cockpit voice recorders, plus a wide variety of new avionics packages available to meet on-coming U.S. and European Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) mandates.
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What Is The 2015 Outlook For The Business Jet Market?

May 18, 2015
General aviation manufacturers now are riding the wave of the improved economy. Billings increased to $24.5 billion and deliveries exceeded 2,400 airplanes.
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How to Use the Airplane Charts

May 01, 2015
For an aircraft to be listed in the Purchase Planning Handbook, a production conforming article must have flown by May 1 of this year. The dimensions, weights and performance characteristics of each model listed are representative of the current production aircraft being built or for which a type certificate application has been filed. The Basic Operating Weights we publish should be representative of actual production turboprop and turbofan aircraft because we ask manufacturers to supply us with the average weights of the last ten commercial aircraft that have been delivered.
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Business Airplane Comparison Charts

May 01, 2015
2015: Purchase Planning Handbook Business Airplane Comparison Charts

On Duty

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News of promotions, appointments and honors (May 2015)

May 01, 2015
Aergen Management Services, Bellevue, Washington, announced Heinz Westen has been appointed chief financial officer. Michael Barry has been appointed as the company’s chief marketing officer and Tom Kaluza has been named senior vice president. Westen most recently served as chief financial officer of Dubai Aerospace Enterprises, while Kaluza served as senior vice president of marketing for DAE Capital Advisors.

20/Twenty

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King Air C90A/B

May 01, 2015
Built-for-comfort, not-for-speed has been the design mantra for 90 series King Airs for more than half a century. The roomy 179-cu.-ft. main cabin, measuring section 4.8 ft. tall, 4.5 ft. wide and 7.5 ft. long, seats four passengers in club. Some aircraft have an additional seat or two in the 48-cu.-ft. aft baggage compartment. In the aft cabin, there is a full-width, internally service lavatory with privacy curtain.

Products & Services Previews

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Products & Services Previews (May 2015)

May 01, 2015
​1. Lightspeed Adds Capability to Sierra Headset Lightspeed Aviation added Bluetooth audio capability to its entry level Sierra headset, making the company’s entire line of headsets compatible with Bluetooth cell phone, music and audio alerts from aviation apps installed on Bluetooth-capable devices. It is also compatible with FlightLink, the first inflight cockpit recording application for the Apple iPad and iPhone. Lightspeed positions Sierra as a value-priced entry into its premium ANR aviation headsets. Five-year warranty.

B&CA 50 Years Ago

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May 1965 News

May 01, 2015
Butler Aviation will spend $3 million to improve and expand its facilities at La Guardia Airport, New York, under the terms of a 15-year operating agreement with the Port of Authority. New tanks and piping will be installed, along with passenger waiting areas, a pilots’ lounge and operations office.

Intelligence

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HondaJet Receives FAA Provisional Type Certificate

May 01, 2015
Honda Aircraft has received a provisional type certificate from the FAA for its HondaJet, which represents a milestone in the program and for the company. It’s the first type certificate for the first-time manufacturer. “We are pleased to reach this significant step toward customer deliveries and entry into service,” said Honda Aircraft Co. President and CEO Michimasa Fujino. Honda Aircraft has completed nearly all the testing and reports required by the FAA, Fujino said.
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Business and GA Avionics Sales Up Slightly in 2014

May 01, 2015
Worldwide business and general aviation avionics sales for 2014 totaled $2.53 billion, a new Avionics Market Report said. The figure was 4% higher than 2013 sales. Of the total, 62.6% came from the North American market. The dollar amount includes electronic sales for business and general aviation aircraft, including components and accessories in the cockpit, cabin, software upgrades, portables, certified and noncertified aircraft electronics, hardware, batteries and chargeable-product-upgrades from manufacturers.
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FAA Proposal to Limit Slots at N.Y., N.J. Airports Would Hurt Business Aviation

May 01, 2015
A proposal by the FAA would reduce the ability of both business and general aviation operations to access airports in the New York City area, hurting business aviation users and the fixed base operators (FBOs) who service them, according to the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). The FAA recently issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would reduce availability of unscheduled slot allocations at La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York, and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
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Jet-A and Avgas Fuel Prices April 2015

May 01, 2015
et-A and Avgas Per Gallon Fuel Prices April 2015
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IBAC Buys Aviation Safety Data Business

May 01, 2015
IBAC Buys Aviation Safety Data Business The International Business Aviation Council recently bought Robert E. Breiling Associates with the assistance of the National Business Aviation Association and will incorporate the company’s safety data and collection methods.
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Dassault Adds Second Falcon 8X to Test Program

May 01, 2015
​Dassault Aviation has added a second Falcon 8X into its flight test program that flew for the first time on March 30. After initial checks on the digital flight controls and engine system, test pilots Laverne and Faurdesus took the aircraft to 43,000 ft. and Mach 0.8 for performance testing. They then ran a series of additional checks before landing after 2 hr. and 45 min. in the air. The aircraft will mostly serve for performance testing.
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New Business Aircraft MRO in Macau

May 01, 2015
Jet Aviation recently finalized a 10-year concession agreement with the Macau Airport Authority for 4,000 square meters of a new hangar built specifically for business aviation maintenance, refurbishment and overhaul (MRO) work at Macau International Airport. Under the agreement, Jet will lease half of the new 8,000 square-meter hangar in addition to 1,000 square meters of workshop and office space.
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Embraer-Florida’s 100th Phenom

May 01, 2015
Embraer’s Melbourne, Florida, assembly facility recently broke the century mark in Phenom deliveries when it turned over a Phenom 300 to NetJets. It was the fractional operation’s 40th of the type and is destined for the NetJets’ European operation. The delivery came a little more than three years after the first aircraft was assembled at the rapidly expanding Space Coast campus.
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Costlier Leases at SMO

May 01, 2015
The Santa Monica, California, City Council recently adopted a proposal to implement higher-priced leases for Santa Monica Airport (SMO) tenants. At their March 24 meeting, council members approved new leasing policies for tenants on a variety of parts of the municipal airport, but did not discuss jet exhaust limits, according to reports. The approvals involved new three-year leases for airport tenants and month-to-month leases for non-aviation tenants.
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Pink Slips at Bell

May 01, 2015
Bell Helicopter says it’s laying off 315 workers because of reductions in V-22 Osprey production and reduced demand for commercial models. The layoffs affect management and non-management employees as well as union and non-union workers. They mainly impact Bell’s Fort Worth, Texas, facilities. Last year, the Textron subsidiary announced a series of layoffs, including 320 in October.
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FAA Eases UAS Approvals

May 01, 2015
With 69 exemptions granted but 771 petitions still in line at the end of March, the FAA is moving to streamline its process for approving low-risk commercial unmanned aircraft operations under so-called Section 333 legislation. In addition to granting exemption holders blanket authorization to fly under 200 ft. anywhere in the U.S. outside of restricted airspace, the FAA has relaxed its requirements for unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operators and streamlined the approval of petitions that are similar to exemptions previously granted.
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A Boeing Trio for Jet Aviation Basel

May 01, 2015
Jet Aviation’s completions center in Basel, Switzerland, was recently awarded outfitting contracts for two Boeing B777-300ER and a BBJ3 aircraft. The 777 project is slated to begin immediately, while the BBJ3 is expected to be delivered to Jet early next year.
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Bombardier Delivers First Learjet 75 to Poland

May 01, 2015
Bombardier has certified and delivered its first Learjet 75 light business jet to a customer in Poland. The Learjet 75 received certification by officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Republic of Poland. “We are confident the Learjet 75 aircraft will provide customers in Poland with an experience that exceeds all expectations,” said Veria Kolyuchaya, Bombardier Business Aircraft regional vice president of sales for Eastern Europe, Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States.
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Airbus Engineering Center Moving to WSU’s New Innovation Campus

May 01, 2015
Airbus Americas will move its engineering center, along with 400 employees, from Wichita’s Old Town to Wichita State University’s new Innovation Campus, the company said. The Wichita State Innovation Alliance has signed letters of intent with Airbus for the move, which will bring new opportunities for applied learning in aerospace engineering to Airbus, the company said. The move is expected to take place in January 2017. Most of Airbus’s Wichita employees are engineers who work on Airbus wings and airframes.
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Emerging Aircraft: AW609

May 01, 2015
AgustaWestland’s third prototype AW609 civil tiltrotor is expected to take to the air this month and after completing several proving flights be dismantled and sent to Philadelphia for reassembly. It is then to undergo icing tests in Minnesota late this year. The Italian manufacturer says it has managed to increase range of the aircraft to 730 nm and is developing auxiliary underwing fuel tanks that could up that to 1,100 nm — increases that make it “an ideal transportation solution for offshore travel,” according to AgustaWestland.
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Emerging Aircraft: Global 7000/8000

May 01, 2015
Despite the challenges confronting Bombardier, the Montreal planemaker says development of its top-of-the-line Global 7000 /8000 business jet program “is making good progress — including the manufacture and assembly of flight test vehicle one — as we continue to prioritize our efforts in preparation for the flight test program.” Considering that the aircraft has yet to roll out and that it can take 15 months, or much, much longer, to advance from first flight to certification award, program managers might consider turning up th
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Emerging Aircraft: Cessna Citation Longitude

May 01, 2015
With the midsize Citation Latitude nearing the end of its flight test program, the new Citation Longitude super-midsize jet program is ramping up significantly with teams working on the project. “We think we know what the configuration of the aircraft is based on a lot of work with customers and where we are,” Textron Chairman & CEO Scott Donnelly said early this year. “So you’ll see that really start ramping up . . .
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Emerging Aircraft: Dassault Falcon 5X

May 01, 2015
Dassault plans to roll its first Falcon 5X s.n. 1 through the doors at its Bordeaux production facility early next month, with first flight expected not long thereafter. The aircraft, also powered by 11,450-lb. thrust Snecma Silvercrest turbofans will eventually be joined by two other 5X in the flight test program. A large aircraft, stretching 82.6 ft. from nosecone to tail, and rising 24.5 ft. from ground level to the top of its fin, its flat floor cabin is 78 in. high, 86 in. wide and nearly 40 ft. long from cockpit bulkhead to the rear of the lav.
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Business Aviation Users Feel More Productive on Private Jets

May 01, 2015
​A study by the National Business Aviation Association found that more than 20% of all business aviation users felt more productive while on board a…
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JetTech Expands Offerings

May 01, 2015
JetTech is amending its Garmin GTN autopilot, coupled with LPV FAA Supplemental Type Certificate, for the Citation 500 series, to include all Primus 1000-equipped Bravo, Ultra, Encore and Excel aircraft. With the amended STC, JetTech will soon offer installation data packages and AIU for its expanded line of Citation aircraft through approved Garmin-authorized dealers along with a complete documentation package to support the installation process.
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Emerging Aircraft: Bell Model 505 Jet Ranger X

May 01, 2015
​Bell Helicopter’s Model 505 Jet Ranger X is making good headway — in both development and the marketplace. The helicopter began its flight trials at its Mirabel, Quebec manufacturing site last November, the same month that China’s Reignwood Investment, Ltd., signed for 50 of the light singles. The aircraft features a Garmin G1000H integrated flight deck and is powered by a Turbomeca Arrius 2R turboshaft engine rated at 504 shp (takeoff) and 457 shp (max continuous) and fitted with a dual channel FADEC.
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Emerging Aircraft: Gulfstream G500 and G600

May 01, 2015
Gulfstream’s 5,000-nm G500 and the 6,200-nm G600, unveiled with great showmanship last October, are well along in their development cycles with more than 1,800 hr. of wind-tunnel work completed. First flight of the $43.5 million G500 is to take place this year, with certification targeted for 2017 and entry into service the following year. The $54.5 million G600 is to trail by about a year. The G500 is powered by two 15,144-lb.
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Duncan Aviation Expands Non-Destructive Testing to Helicopter Operations

May 01, 2015
Duncan Aviation, based in Lincoln, Nebraska, has expanded its non-destructive testing services to helicopter operators. It has provided NDT services to business aircraft for more than 20 years. Helicopter operators can remove and send components to Duncan Aviation, along with the appropriate maintenance manuals and documentation, for any required NDT testing. It provides eddy current, florescent penetrant, ultrasonic and magnetic and particle inspections on all makes and model aircraft.
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VistaJet Moves to All Large-Cabin Fleet; Turns in Record 2014

May 01, 2015
VistaJet has said farewell to it last Learjet, as it moved to an all-Bombardier Challenger and Global business jet fleet. The company has operated 20 Learjets since 2004. Since then, the Learjet fleet has made 18,262 flights, logged 42,962 flight hours and carried 28,685 passengers. Founder and Chairman Thomas Flohr bought the first Learjet, a Learjet 60 for personal use, in December 2003. That became the catalyst for the company, which operates the largest privately owned Bombardier business jet fleet of more than 45 large-cabin Global and Challenger aircraft.